“Come on.” He led me toward the door.
“Where are we going?”
“To get you some fresh air.”
“But what about?—”
“They’ll still be here when we return.”
“Wait. I don’t want?—”
A steely expression came over his face. “Charity, either you walk out of this attic on your own or I’ll carry you.”
I scooted around him and out the attic door. “I’m not afraid of you. You know that, right?”
“Sure you are,” he muttered from behind me.
He was right. Only not in the way I knew he meant. I was more than scared. I was terrified. What was going to happen tome at the end of this mission when he and I went our separate ways? I couldn’t allow myself to think about that now. When we reached the second floor, I walked toward the front of the house.
“Where are we going?”
“You said I needed fresh air.” I went into the front bedroom, then walked over to the French doors that led out to a balcony.
He followed me outside. “This is cool. I didn’t notice it when we pulled up.”
“The trees have gotten so big; they obscured it.” I ran my hand over the seat of one of two Adirondack chairs. “He even cleans these things,” I mumbled.
Reaper sat beside me. “You’re lucky to have someone to watch over the place.”
“Keeps him busy. His wife died around the same time my grandma did. I doubt he remarried.”
“So, about the photos.”
I raised a brow in his direction. “Yes?”
“I’m going to make a suggestion.”
I motioned with my hand for him to continue.
“We either box them up and take them to the town house, or we return tomorrow. Unless you want to stay here.”
I shuddered. “No. Absolutely not.”
“So…”
“Let’s see if we can find something to put them in.”
When I got up, Reaper grabbed my wrist and pulled me down on his lap. “Thank you,” he said, kissing my cheek.
“For?”
“Letting me come along.”
I should’ve been smart enough not to do it, especially given that, a minute ago, I’d acknowledged I’d be devastated when he was no longer in my life. Still, I rested my head on his shoulder. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” I whispered.
16
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